Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 356 Three Rivers and Four Lakes, Yin Tu Lang Mountain (5.6K words, please support with monthly votes at the beginning of the month~)

Three Xiang, Yangming Mountain.

Since Deng Qingyang, the leader of the Hengshan Sword Sect, took up his sword at Yangming Mountain, this mountain has jumped from a second-rate sacred mountain in Hunan to a first-rate one, and its reputation is now only second to Hengshan Mountain in the south and Suxianling Mountain.

Yangming Mountain and Jiuyi Mountain, which was occupied by the Southern School, face each other across the distance of only about 400 li. Therefore, it is also the front line of the Haoran Alliance in the three Hunan regions to confront the Southern School head-on. There are a large number of Hengshan Sword Sect disciples in the mountain, as well as disciples from other schools in the Haoran Alliance who take turns fighting to recover lost territory.

It is conceivable that if the righteous path wins this war, a new sect might be born on this sacred mountain after defeating the demonic path.

The name Yangmingshan comes from the saying: "When the morning sun rises, the mountain is already bright; this is called Yangming."

This sentence describes how, at sunrise, the fields of southern Hunan are still shrouded in darkness, but the mountaintop is already illuminated by the morning light, shining brightly.

On this day, just as the sun was rising, two Taoist priests, one old and one young, rode on clouds from the northeast and flew directly to the mountain peak illuminated by the rising sun.

As the frontline position of the Haoran Alliance, Yangming Mountain is naturally protected by a mountain-protecting formation, preventing outsiders from trespassing at will. These two must have been notified beforehand, as there are already people waiting to greet them outside the mountain.

"Why should Fellow Daoist Qingyang come all this way to welcome me? Forgive me, forgive me!"

The visiting old Taoist priest had silver hair, wore a hemp-gray Taoist robe, white socks and straw sandals, and carried a whisk in his hand; he exuded an air of otherworldly grace. The old Taoist priest, Tingyun, approached the host's house, bowed, and repeatedly apologized.

The host, who was waiting there, appeared to be middle-aged, around forty or fifty years old. He wore a dark blue cotton robe, a boxwood hairpin running through his hair, hemp shoes, and a long sword at his waist—the attire of a swordsman. He smiled and returned the greeting.
“It is such a great honor that Fellow Daoist Tongxuan has come to visit. I, Deng, will naturally welcome him.”

It turned out that this person was Deng Qingyang, the leader of the Hengshan Sword Sect and the guardian of Yangming Mountain. The old Taoist priest who came to visit was Shi Tongxuan, the deputy leader of Yujing Peak of Sanqing Mountain.

After greeting Shi Tongxuan, Deng Qingyang looked at another visitor, a young Taoist priest in purple robes.

"Greetings, Mr. Guangfa."

Master Wanfa of Sanqing Mountain was successively honored as "Master Tongzhen Guanghong" and "Master Renhui Guangfa" by the four mountains of Huanghai and Dongdao. For those who cultivate on land, they are certainly more accustomed to calling him the latter.

Once this name is mentioned, the identity of this young Taoist priest becomes self-evident: he is the bamboo incarnation left on land by Cheng Xinzhan.

Just as Deng Qingyang looked over, Cheng Xinzhan greeted him politely.

"Master Deng, greetings."

After exchanging greetings, the three were led by Deng Qingyang into Yangming Mountain and arrived at the Golden Summit Hall at the top of the mountain.

The three sat down, and Deng Qingyang poured tea.

"This is cloud and mist tea from Hengshan. Please try it."

The grandfather and grandson each took a small sip of tea, then simultaneously exclaimed in praise.
“Good tea!”

Deng Qingyang was a swordsman, a swordsman who, in the face of a formidable enemy, took on the role of sect leader to command the front lines. He was a straightforward person, so he didn't mince words. After seeing the two guests take a sip of tea, he asked directly,

"I wonder what brings Fellow Daoist Tongxuan and Master Guangfa to visit us?"

So the two put down their teacups, and Shi Tongxuan glanced at Cheng Xinzhan, indicating that he should start the conversation.

By now, Cheng Xinzhan was used to facing powerful cultivators at the fourth or fifth realm, as well as sect leaders, and naturally felt no fear. He looked at Deng Qingyang, composed and at ease, and began to explain his intentions.

"Master Deng, please allow me to begin from the beginning."

"Sir, please speak."

"That's right. Hunan is a vast and resource-rich land, a first-class place for raising corpses. The Yin soil of western Hunan is especially famous. Therefore, corpses often become stiff and wander in the mountains and forests, sometimes even harming people. I've heard that the righteous sects of Hunan spend a lot of effort every year on removing these stiff corpses. And since Nanyue is in charge of Hunan, I think he knows these things very well."

Deng Qingyang hadn't expected the people from Sanqing Mountain to be talking about the corpse disaster in Sanxiang. Not knowing their meaning, he nodded in agreement with Cheng Xinzhan's words.

"What you say is true, sir. The corpse calamity in the Three Xiang regions has a long history. This vibrant land has not only treated us humans generously, but has also never been stingy with its blessings for these underground Yin races."

"It's just that the Yin Clan is ignorant. Their minds are like those of hungry beasts, but they possess abilities far greater than those of hungry beasts. They often cause trouble and harm people, especially mortals who are difficult to resist. Therefore, subduing these wandering corpses is something that the righteous path of Sanxiang has always been doing. Even now that the Southern Demonic Sect has invaded, this matter has always occupied a great deal of our energy and has never stopped."

At this point, Deng Qingyang looked at Cheng Xinzhan and actually stood up and bowed.
"In previous years, together with various factions in the east, you performed rituals and ceremonies to convert the corpses of Tianqiao Mountain and eliminate the demon. This was a great deed for Hunan. On behalf of the righteous people and the people of Hunan, Qingyang would like to express our gratitude to you."

Cheng Xinzhan also stood up and helped Deng Qingyang sit down, then he said with a wry smile,

"Sect Leader Deng, there's no need to flatter me. I think that since then, there have definitely been fewer high-level demonic corpses harassing the Three Xiang regions, but there have been more low-level zombies with newly developed intelligence, isn't that right?"

Cheng Xinzhan was also slow to realize this issue.

Previously, there was a mountain called Tianqiao Mountain in western Hunan. The demon of Tianqiao Mountain was always eager to refine corpses, so he would naturally go around capturing zombies, just like the righteous sects of Hunan. The only difference was that the former would kill the zombies they captured, while the latter would bring them back to Tianqiao Mountain to refine them. In fact, the latter's demand for zombies was so great that they even had to entrust the Wuling Water Gang with collecting corpses for them.

Now that Tianqiao Mountain is gone, the number of people who die and are buried in Sanxiang each year has not decreased, nor has the land's special "preferential treatment" of the dead. This will inevitably lead to a zombie overpopulation. There are fewer high-level zombie demons on the opposite side of the righteous path in Sanxiang, but the pressure to capture newly born low-level zombies has increased.

Deng Qingyang smiled upon hearing this.
"Sir, there's no need to belittle yourself. The situation has definitely improved. The zombies roaming the mountains and forests are far easier to deal with than the corpse demons that come out of Tianqiao Mountain. Moreover, there's now a Zhenwu Temple in western Hunan, and the alliance has opened a branch in Tianqiao Mountain. With the demons diminishing and the Tao increasing, overall things are definitely getting better."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded upon hearing this, then said,
“What Master Deng says is true. However, I have recently discovered another problem.”

"what is the problem?"

"Among the Three Corpses Cult in the East China Sea, there are many walking corpses dressed in the clothing of the Three Hunan regions."

"You also went to the East China Sea, sir?"

"also?"

"Oh it's all right."

Deng Qingyang waved his hand, then said in a deep voice,
"What you say is true, sir. This is indeed a problem. The Three Corpses have established their sect in the East Sea and widely invite corpse cultivators from all over the world. There are many corpses in Hunan, so how could they be an exception? Moreover, there is something else that I wonder if you know. There is an organization within the Three Corpses sect called the Grave Robbers' Hall, which specializes in finding corpses and digging up graves. They like to go on land, especially to Hunan. They are even more difficult to deal with than the corpse hunters from Tianqiao Mountain. Over the years, we have spent a lot of energy intercepting and killing these grave robbers."

Deng Qingyang sighed softly.

"The calamity of the Earthly Corpse, the calamity of the Southern Demon Sect, and the incursions of overseas demonic sects have made life difficult for Sanxiang these past few years. We are also very grateful to our comrades in the alliance for sending a lot of people to Sanxiang. Moreover, the establishment of the Tianqiao Mountain branch and the Jinshui Chamber of Commerce in Wuling by the alliance has also been a great help to us."

Cheng Xinzhan certainly knew about the Faqiu Hall; he himself had personally dealt with many of the Yin Corpses from Hunan on Fire Dragon Island. Since Sect Leader Deng was so well aware of these matters, it would be easier for him to say what he was about to say.

As the ancients said, "To govern a country and secure a family, one must gain the right people; to destroy a country and ruin a family, one must lose the right people. If one can gather the best people in the world, then even the enemy will be impoverished." They also said, "A country that can be both gentle and firm will shine brighter; a country that can be both weak and strong will be more illustrious. A country that is purely gentle and weak will surely decline; a country that is purely firm and strong will surely perish."

"Master Deng, do you agree?"

Shi Tongxuan watched Cheng Xinzhan speak eloquently from the side, and under the cover of sipping tea, he revealed a satisfied smile. He couldn't help but think that once Xinzhan became the vice leader, he would definitely put him in charge of the Foreign Affairs Institute; he was just too suitable.

As the leader of a sect, Deng Qingyang was an extremely intelligent man. Upon hearing Cheng Xinzhan's words, he immediately understood. However, after understanding, he frowned slightly. He first glanced at Shi Tongxuan, then looked back at Cheng Xinzhan and asked, "Master Guangfa, or rather, does Sanqing Immortal Mountain intend to recruit Yin Corpses? Is this also the alliance's intention? Is Hengshan required to do it?"

Cheng Xinzhan kept a close eye on Deng Qingyang's expression. He could sense that the lord of Sanxiang seemed somewhat resistant. Of course, he knew this was understandable; even if he hadn't come to Yangmingshan this time, and had approached any other sect to express his thoughts, the other party would probably have the same expression. Hostility and disdain towards the Yin Clan were extremely common and deeply rooted throughout the entire Daoist sect—whether in the Eastern or Northern Dao—and even the Western Xuanmen.

Cheng Xinzhan knew that only he, who came from Meiji Mountain, which studied the way of the living dead, and had an enlightened mountain master, an enlightened patriarch deputy leader, and an enlightened and extremely doting sect leader, could propose this idea and quickly reach a consensus within Sanqing Mountain. That is why he was accompanied by his patriarch when he visited Yangming Mountain today.

Cheng Xinzhan replied,

"It was I who first brought up this idea. My sect pardoned me and was willing to give it a try, but the alliance was unaware of it. After we decided to do it, the first person we came to was Leader Deng, to hear your opinion and seek your help."

Deng Qingyang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. He didn't want to hear that this was something the alliance had imposed on the Hengshan Sword Sect. Given the alliance's assistance to the Hengshan Sword Sect and even the Sanxiang region in recent years, it seemed he really couldn't refuse if asked to do this. But if Sanqingshan wanted to do it, then it was perfectly fine. After all, he couldn't expect others to be forbidden from doing something he himself didn't want to do.

His expression relaxed, and he said...

"What the immortal mountain wants to do is of no concern to me. As for what Hengshan can do to help, please speak freely, and I will do my best."

In truth, if Deng Qingyang were to give a list, he could give a hundred reasons why he shouldn't recruit Yin Corpses: heavy malevolent energy, heavy yin energy, low intelligence, untrustworthy, stiff physical body, prone to karmic entanglements, cultivation path drastically different from humans, and so on. But there's no need for that. Since the Vice Master of Sanqing Mountain and the Master of Ten Thousand Laws have personally come to discuss this matter, it means they've definitely thought it through. Criticizing them too much would only embarrass them.

Furthermore, as Mr. Guangfa said, if this matter is handled well, its effect on alleviating the corpse calamity in Hunan and striking a blow against the Three Corpse Cult will be obvious. Now, someone wants to do something that benefits them but that they themselves don't want to do, so why not?

Having laid the groundwork, Cheng Xinzhan felt it was time to reveal his purpose. However, just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by Shi Tongxuan beside him.

Shi Tongxuan, with a blush on his face, said...
"Then I thank Sect Leader Deng for his generosity. Here's the thing: the sect planned to do this, but they didn't want to trouble the alliance, and they also felt it was inappropriate to take the corpse into the sect. So they planned to open a new sect and set it up as a branch sect. I'm an old man, an idle person, and I'm of no use in the sect, so they sent me out to do this."

Shi Tongxuan spoke with great humility, but Deng Qingyang's expression turned serious. He had initially thought that Sanqing Mountain intended to do this by setting up a new subordinate organization within the alliance, or by supporting a small sect. He hadn't expected that a fourth-realm vice-leader would personally take charge. Did Sanqing Mountain really value this matter so much?

Shi Tongxuan continued speaking,

"Since I have taken on this responsibility, I must do it well. After the sect appointed me, I began to look for a place to establish the sect. But Fellow Daoist Qingyang must know that when it comes to corpse cultivators and corpse-raising grounds, Sanxiang is a place that cannot be avoided no matter what."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Deng Qingyang burst into laughter, revealing his bold and unrestrained side once again. He said,

"I understand, I understand. Fellow Daoist Tongxuan, please tell me which piece of land in Hunan you fancy! As the saying goes, 'It is not the height of the mountain that matters, but the presence of immortals that makes it sacred.' Fellow Daoist Tongxuan, if you come to Hunan to establish your sect, the entire province of Hunan will certainly welcome you with the utmost respect!"

Deng Qingyang's joy was genuine. As the leader of the various sects in Hunan, Nanyue had always been worried about the small number of cultivators in Hunan.

The land of Hunan is characterized by its winding mountains and rivers, and its natural defenses. Moreover, the long-term accumulation of dampness and rain causes dampness and miasma to seep into the skin. In winter, the cold penetrates to the bone, while in summer, the heat is oppressive. This is the root cause of the frequent occurrence of zombies and evil spirits.

In addition, the three Xiang rivers and four streams flow into Dongting Lake, causing the rivers to rage uncontrollably. During the flood season, torrents sweep across the fields, while during the dry season, the ruts dry up and become dusty. Where the peaks and ridges overlap, rocks crumble and stones split; where the marshes and swamps are silted up, insects and snakes lurk and thrive.

Therefore, orthodox immortals often avoid this dangerous place when choosing a location to establish a sect and create an unparalleled legacy. It is mostly inhabited by hermits who live in secluded valleys, or by unorthodox practitioners who use the fierce and ominous atmosphere to cultivate their magic.

Regardless of the past, focusing only on the present, there are only two sects in the entire Hunan region: Hengshan Sword Sect and Suxianling. The latter is a hidden immortal lineage. Although the demonic tide is raging and some disciples from Suxianling have come out of the mountains to eliminate the demons, it is well known that Suxianling has very few people.

Originally, cultivators of the four realms once established sects on Yangming Mountain, but later generations failed to preserve their ancestral heritage, and it fell into disrepair over the long years. Previously, disciples from smaller sects and independent cultivators often came to this mountain to explore its mysteries, attempting to obtain some ancient relics and inheritances, and they did occasionally make some discoveries. It wasn't until more than a decade ago, when Deng Qingyang came, that the Hengshan Sword Sect and the Haoran Alliance rebuilt the place, allowing the mountain to regain its vitality.

In addition, Mount Jiuyi is also a scenic spot, serving as the temporary palace of Emperor Shun during his southern tour. Later, the people of Hunan built a temple here to worship Emperor Shun. Precisely because of this, although the mountain is full of spiritual energy, no immortal sects have established sects or religions here in order to show respect for their ancestors.

However, no one expected that the Southern Demonic Sect would be so audacious. The Heavenly Silkworm Fairy actually led Gu Dao masters from Miao territory, western Hunan, Wuling, and Yunnan to occupy this mountain and establish the Heavenly Silkworm Sect. Moreover, the problem is that the Silkworm Fairy, as a leader of a different race, mentioned in her declaration on the day of establishing the sect that her Gu Dao lineage originated from the Xiang Goddess. Therefore, the ancestral hall hangs portraits of the two consorts of the Xiang River, and Emperor Shun is revered as the God King of Protecting the Mountain. The first thing she did after making the declaration of establishing the sect was to lead her followers to worship at the Temple of Emperor Shun.

This series of actions left the people of Sanxiang dumbfounded, while also giving the cultivators of Sanxiang a way out—at that time, Green Robe had obtained the true dragon certificate, and in addition to Silkworm Girl, he also mobilized four dragon descendants, including the South Sea Twin Fiends, Elephant Dragon, and Lake Ding Peak Demon Dragon, to attack Yuyang and Sanxiang. The righteous sects in both places were thrown into chaos, and the battle lines were quickly retreated.

If the Heavenly Silkworm Fairy hadn't uttered those words and hadn't offered sacrifices at the Temple of Emperor Shun, the righteous forces of Hunan would have undoubtedly launched a full-scale attack on the mountain to expel the foreign tribes. However, the heavy losses suffered by the righteous forces of Hunan in that scenario would have been unimaginable.

Therefore, even though the people of Hunan all know that the Heavenly Silkworm Fairy is just trying to glorify herself, they have no choice but to accept it for the time being.

That said, among the sacred mountains and treasures of Hunan, apart from these four mountains, the rest are inferior. Besides Hengshan and Suxianling, the righteous sects consist only of some secluded sects that have long lived in seclusion, as well as a considerable number of minor sects and unorthodox schools. Those sects that can regularly exchange sparring and discuss Daoist principles, and that can join forces to fight enemies, are few and far between. In other words, when the demonic tide strikes, these sects can't offer much help; the Hengshan Sword Sect and Suxianling will have to exert their strength to protect these forces.

Now, Deng Qingyang's only thought is to expel the alien cult from Jiuyi Mountain, restore the proper worship of Emperor Shun's Temple, and recover the lost lands of Hunan. He only feels that he has few allies, but he will never complain about having many.

As for whether he was worried that the sects of Sanqing Mountain would usurp the leadership position of Hengshan Sword Sect in Hunan, Deng Qingyang believed that if any Hengshan sect leader had such an insecure idea, it would be the beginning of Hengshan's true decline.

Therefore, at this moment, Deng Qingyang looked at Shi Tongxuan with eager anticipation in his eyes.

Seeing this, Shi Tongxuan smiled in relief. He had only interrupted Xinzhan earlier because he wanted to play the villain himself; now that there was no villain, everyone was happy. So Shi Tongxuan said…

"It is Langshan. We have searched all over Hunan and found that among the sacred mountains that are either ownerless or ownerless, Langshan is the most suitable. And this mountain is under the control of your religion."

"Langshan."

After listening, Deng Qingyang nodded, a look of sudden understanding appearing on his face, and said,

"Yes, if we're talking about establishing a sect of Yin Corpses, Langshan is indeed suitable. The Yin energy in Langshan is extremely heavy, so no one here is willing to establish a sect there."

"However, Langshan is very close to the Southern Wilderness, and those demons always have their eyes on this mountain. In addition, our sect often uses some of the Yin grass and Xin metal produced in Langshan. So our sect fenced off the area, set up restrictions, and left disciples to guard it."

Upon hearing this, Shi Tongxuan immediately replied,
“If you are willing to part with this sacred mountain, I will guarantee that it will not be seized by the demonic sect after I establish my own sect. I will also share the fruits of the mountain with your sect.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Qingyang burst into laughter, shook his head repeatedly, and said,

"Fellow Daoist Tongxuan underestimates me. I naturally believe that you can protect the land and ward off demons. As for the division of spiritual resources, let's not mention it again. My Hengshan may not be as rich and abundant as the Three Pure Immortal Mountains, but it is not so poor as to be this destitute."

Upon hearing this, Shi Tongxuan apologized.

Deng Qingyang was in high spirits, as if he had gained the mountain rather than given it up. He laughed.

"When will you establish your sect, fellow Daoist? When you do, Hengshan will certainly present you with a grand gift. If transporting the necessary materials from Yuzhang is cumbersome and time-consuming, Hengshan can also provide them. I only hope that you will do so soon. Once you establish your sect, from north to south, Bamian Mountain, Tianqiao Mountain, Langshan Mountain, Yangming Mountain, Suxian Ridge, Feixia Mountain, and Luofu Mountain will be connected in a line, and our westward advance to suppress the enemy will be just around the corner!"

"It's very close, very close, almost there, almost there."

Shi Tongxuan stroked his beard and laughed.

Cheng Xinzhan listened from the side, and seeing how readily Deng, the leader of the sect, agreed, he was also in a good mood. At the same time, he felt a sense of mystery. He remembered that when he first descended the mountain to explore the Southern Wilderness, he had passed through Langshan.

That year, on that night, I sensed that there were restrictions and blockades in the mountains, so I had no choice but to spend the night on the outer peaks. At that time, I was intoxicated by the view of the sea of ​​clouds and the bright moon rising on the mountaintop. I never imagined that one day, because of my suggestion, this mountain would become a branch sect of my sect.

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(End of this chapter)